Re: Packard employees question

Posted by Packard53 On 2007/4/6 19:37:18

Nick: Here is a nut shell history of the empire that E.L. Cord built, its was wide in range and in some abigger operation than Packard.

When Cord was in its heyday it may have operated three plants. However closer the to the truth is that the plant at Indy production wasn't that great in number, being that Duesenberg was produced there.

Cord became vice-president and general manager of Auburn in July 1924. By 1926 he became the major stock holder in Auburn. That same year Cord bought Duesenberg. from 1927 through 1928 he bought vacant industrial buildings that had been used in car production. largest of the buildings was Central Manufacturing Company, which earlier built some bodies for Auburn.

In 1928 Cord bought Lycoming Motors along with its subsidiary Spencer Heater both located in Williamsport, Penna, which is my home town. Lycoming Motors became a subisdiary of Auburn.

In 1929 Cord bought Stinson Aircraft and Columbia Axle. Cord in 1930 founded Century Airlines to prodvide passenger airline service and to bid on govermanet air mail contracts. 1933 Cord bought New York Ship Building, he also took control of Checker Cab, and with it the Parmelee System which operated cabs in New York City and Chicago. To those he added the Yellow Cab Companies of New York, Chicago, and Pittsburgh.


John F. Shireman

PS: I do have some productions numbers on Auburn, I will psot them on Saturday night